


Home for the Holidays

by ChiefDoctor



Category: Doctor Who RPF
Genre: Christmas Fluff, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-07
Updated: 2013-12-07
Packaged: 2018-01-03 22:48:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,689
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1073948
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChiefDoctor/pseuds/ChiefDoctor
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>I kinda took the Christmas prompts, mashed them all together and used them in a different way.  </p>
<p>Mistletoe, Hot chocolate, Snow, Candy canes, Christmas tree, Angel, Lights, Champagne, Velvet, Fire, Red, Warm blankets</p>
<p>There all in there……see if you can spot them!</p>
            </blockquote>





	Home for the Holidays

Walking down the streets of London he easily gets caught up in the noise and excitement of the season.  It’s been a long time since he’s been in the mother country.  It seems he is always somewhere else filming for this or that.  He’s quite excited to be home for the holidays.  He is also however extremely behind in his Christmas shopping and hopes to fulfill most of his list today.  It’s at that moment that he sees them….those unmistakable curls bouncing ahead of him in the crowd. 

 

‘Could it really be her?’  His heart stops.  It’s been five years since they have seen each other.  Five years since he poured his heart out to her only for her to gently let him down.  He hadn’t been able to face anything about her since.  He didn’t call or text like he had always done.  He didn’t look her up on the Internet to see what she was doing professionally.  He didn’t even ask Karen about her, even though he knew they saw each other frequently. 

 

He had gone cold turkey, had to really.  It was the only way to move on.  And he had moved on hadn’t he?  He was a success professionally, making film after film, getting rave reviews, and even some award nominations.  But who was he kidding he hadn’t moved on, not where it matter, not in his heart.  All that other stuff was just to mask the ache that still resided in his heart when she told him “I’m not the one for you darling, find yourself a lovely girl who can give you a family.” 

 

Someone bumped into him jostling him from his thoughts.  It was then that he realized that his feet had stopped, probably about the same time as his heart.  Shaking his head trying to rid himself of his thoughts he moved forward determined to get back to the task at hand…presents.

 

Walking another half a block he saw her.  She was peering into the window of a shop.  There was no mistaking her for someone else.  It was Alex…his Alex……well the Alex he wishes were his. He stares at her for what seems like hours before his feet move without him even realizing it.  Standing near her his voice low, “Alex?”

 

Startled from her window shopping she looks at him and immediately a smile takes over her face.  “Matt!?!”  Straight away she pulls him into a tight embrace.  He wasn’t expecting this but he has been like a thirsty man roaming the Sahara these past five years.  He drinks in her smells, the feel of her curls against his face, the press of her body against his, her smells…..oh he had almost forgotten how she smelled like strawberries and cinnamon.  His senses are so caught up in her it takes him a moment to realize she is pulling back, holding on just a little longer.

 

He keeps his arms around her and hers are resting around his neck.  They both are smiling ridiculously at each other.  “How did I get so lucky to run into you today, darling?”

 

His heart skips a beat at her endearment for him.  Five years…..five long years since he has heard it roll off her lips………..and yet it seems like yesterday.

 

“I don’t know I’d say I was the lucky one.”  He finally found his voice again staring into her gorgeous green eyes.  He expects her to flirt back or admonish him for being cheeky but she just continues looking at him smiling.

 

“I’m in London working on my Christmas shopping.  I’m afraid I haven’t gotten any of it done yet since I have been on location.”

 

“Yes, I saw that you were doing a film with Peter Jackson.  Quite impressive Matt.”  His eyes registered surprise.  She had been following his career….why?

 

“Oh, you knew about that?”

 

“Yes, Karen mentioned it so I looked it up to see what it was about.  It sounds epic…..and you with such a prominent role.  I’m happy for you darling.”

 

“Well I have no idea what you have been up to.  How about you catch me up?  There’s a lovely tea room around the corner.  It’s a bit nippy out here.”  Truth is he wasn’t cold at all.  Having Alex this close to him had warmed him from his head to his toes.

 

“Do you mean Sister Edna’s?”  She inquired.

 

“Yes, do you know of it?”

 

“Oh my goodness, I have been going to Sister Edna’s Tea Room since I was a little girl.  My mum would take us whenever we came into London.  Now I take Salome when she is in town.  I can’t believe you’ve been there.”

 

“Been there?  I practically lived there when I was in London.  They have the best teas and their hot chocolate is beyond epic!”  Alex laughed.  She had forgotten Matt’s flair for the hyperbole.

 

“Well how could we not go since we are both here in London and so close?”  Alex meant to the tea shop but Matt’s thoughts were about how close their bodies were at that moment. 

 

Refusing to let go of her he kept his arm around her shoulder as they had begun to walk.  He was pleased that she kept her arm around his waist.  He could almost delude himself into thinking that no time had past since they had seen each other last.  Without thinking about it he leans over and kisses the top of her head.  “So you mentioned the poppet, what is she up to these days?”

 

“Oh she’s practically grown – much to my dismay.  She’ll be graduating from high school in the spring then off to university.”  Alex got a bit wistful at those thoughts.

 

“No way!  My poppet ready for college?  That’s not possible.  I may need to chaperone her – where is she going to university?”

 

Alex chuckled.  “You sound like Florian.  Salome’s quite worried that he might actually follow her to university.”

 

“Well perhaps him and I should team up to keep the poppet safe from unwarranted male advancements.”  She has to stop in the middle of the pavement she is laughing so hard.  The thought of Matt and Florian teaming up to be some type of superhero bodyguards to Salome stuck inside her head.

 

“Oh my God, Matt!  You are so ridiculous!  I sure have missed that.”  His breath hitches wanting to believe she means she misses him but then he probably is being ridiculous.

 

Finally regaining her composure they walk the few more steps to Sister Edna’s.  Alex stops to look at the outside of the building.  It hasn’t changed very much since she first remembers coming here as a child.  It’s an old fashioned building, looking a bit out of place with all of the modern buildings surrounding it.  It feels like magic and memories and love.

 

He opens the heavy wooden door holding it for her as she enters.  It’s small with only five café tables around the edges.  Unwrapping their scarves, they make their way to the counter looking over the chalkboard listing the current selection of teas and other goodies.  “I think I fancy a hot chocolate myself.  How about you Kingston?”

 

Her eyes light up.  She hasn’t heard anyone call her Kingston in five years, and truthfully she wouldn’t have allowed anyone other than him to call her that anyways.  “Oh that sounds delicious darling.”  They order two hot chocolates, with the works.

 

The proprietor has been serving both of them for years, although never together.  She wasn’t Sister Edna but her granddaughter.  Sister Edna had long since passed and the tea room had been bequeathed to her.  Sister Emily as she was called prepared their drinks.  Matt had asked her once if she was a real sister, a nun.  She explained that no not that kind of sister.  A sister of tea and romance she told him.  When he questioned her further, she said she could not reveal the secrets of the sisterhood.

 

She placed the drinks on a tray along with two cranberry scones.  At the till Matt handed her the money while Alex looked over the pastries in the case.  She walked over next to Matt.  “Ah, now you have to.”  Sister Emily prodded.

 

“Sorry?  Have to what?”  Matt asked confused.

 

She simply pointed upwards.  He tilted his head to see the mistletoe dangling above his head.  Looking back at her, her eyes shifted to Alex.  A grin began to form on his face.  “Well if I have to.”

 

He turns to Alex and without warning kisses her.  He meant for it to be a chaste kiss but the taste of her on his lips ignited in him the passion he had been holding back for five years.  Without realizing it his hands reach for her curls and his tongue begs for entrance.  Her lips part and he deepens the kiss.  Slowly remembering where he was he pulls back.  Her look is dazed, a bit confused, but happy…..yes, definitely happy. 

 

He picks up the tray letting her lead them to a table near the fireplace.  She plucks the hot chocolate from the tray placing them on the table.  In the middle she places the scones.  He returns the tray to the counter.  Walking back to the table he is struck by how beautiful she is.  She always was beautiful to him but even now five years older she is still gorgeous.

 

He sits across from her and takes a sip of his hot chocolate.  He closes his eyes as the warm liquid works its way through him.  The cold weather, the holiday season, it definitely feels like a hot chocolate kind of day.  “So Alex, how you been?”  His tone seems more serious now and that startles her a bit.

 

“I’m good.”  Always the guarded one she is, holding back even with the one person in the world she doesn’t need to.

 

“That’s good to hear.  So what brings you to London this time of year?”  He takes another sip.

 

“Oh I’m in rehearsals for a play.  We open after the hols.  It’s worked out rather nicely since it means I will be able to spend the holidays with my family this year.” 

 

“and the poppet?  Will she make it over for Christmas this year?”

 

“Yes!  It has amazingly all worked out.  Her and Florian are flying over a few days before Christmas.  He’s going on to Germany to his family; Salome will be heading up there a couple days after Christmas.”  He loves the look she gets on her face when she talks about her daughter.  It is pure love.  He gets caught up watching the glow of the fire dance over her face and doesn’t hear her question.  “Matt?  Hello?”  She begins waving her hands in front of him waking him from his daydream.

 

“Um, sorry Alex.  What was that?”  He looks a bit sheepish.

 

“I’m sorry darling.  I’m probably boring you with all my family stuff.”

 

“Hardly, more like mesmerizing me.”  The look on his face can only be described as besotted.  It’s been five years and he still is so in love with this woman that he cannot contain it. 

 

“Mesmerizing?  Me?”

 

“Yes, of course you!  Who else would I be talk about you silly woman?”

 

“But Matt …..”  Before she could continue he grabbed her hand in his stilling her.

 

“Alex I know you don’t feel the same way about me as I do you but you need to hear this.  My feelings for you haven’t changed.”  She tries to pull back from him but he holds her firmly.  “For the past five years I have tried to forget about you, tried to pretend I had never known you but it never worked.  One glimpse of your gorgeous curls in a crowded street and my heart stopped.  It literally stopped in the middle of the sidewalk.  Thoughts and feelings came flooding back in without permission.  It wasn’t until a stranger bumped into me that I realized I was standing there lost in my thoughts of you in the middle of London.”  He stopped and turns to watch the fire hiding the moisture forming in his eyes.

 

“Matt…. I didn’t think you would still…. I mean….”  She was finding it hard to form sentences.

 

He turns back to her.  “What you didn’t think I would still love you?”  His heart is a little broken and he wishes he wasn’t so vulnerable to her.  She manages to get her hand away from his she covers her face with both hands hiding away from him.  He turns back to watch the flames lick the inside of the fireplace.

 

She rises from her chair; walking over to him she takes his hands in hers.  He follows her to the fireplace hearth where they sit down.  Letting go of one hand she places hers on his cheek.  He leans into her touch wanting whatever she will let him have.  “No Matt I didn’t.”  She says softly.

 

He’s confused.  “Sorry?  What?”

 

“No, I didn’t think you would still love me.  I thought you would have found the perfect girl and be making babies about now.” 

 

He inches closer to her watching as the light from the fire plays off her face.  “I did find the perfect girl.  She just didn’t want me.”  His head lowers, his voice sounds so sad, like years of sadness coming through.

 

“Oh Matt, that isn’t true.  That was never true.”  His face rises to look at her once more.  She moves closer to him placing her hands on either side of his face.  “You have to know that.  I did want you.  I have always wanted you but I shouldn’t have.”

 

“Why Alex?  Why shouldn’t you have?”  He nearly chokes on the words.

 

“Your young.”

 

“Not so young any more.”

 

“You have your career ahead of you.”

 

“Seem to be doing fine in that area.”

 

“You should have a family of your own….you should have the chance to be a father.”

 

“I am a father.”

 

“What?”  She pulls back staring at him.  “You’re a father?”

 

“Yes!”

 

Bringing her hands to her lap it is her turn to stare at the fire losing herself in the dancing of the flames.  “I hadn’t heard.  Girl or boy?”

 

“Girl”

 

“Oh you’ve always been brilliant with girls.  How old is she?”  She says trying to hide the sadness with the words.

 

“Oh about seventeen….heading off to university soon.” 

 

She whips around to face him.  “What??  You don’t have a teenage daughter.”

 

“Well maybe not in the conventional way but I consider her my daughter and she considers me a second father.  At least that’s what she told me last week when I talked to her.”

 

She looks at him with confusion and curiosity.  “Ok, I’ll bite.  Who is this daughter you’re talking about?”

 

“Salome”

 

“Salome?  My Salome?”

 

“Yes”  She rises from the hearth and heads to their table.  She takes several sips of her hot chocolate before facing him again.  Her arms hugging herself.

 

“You…you still talk to Salome?”  Her voice is small and quiet.

 

“Yes”

 

“How often?”

 

“About once a week, usually on Skype.  It’s been a little tricky with the time zones, especially while I was in New Zealand.”

 

She was leaning against the back wall now trying to process all of this.  “How long?  How long have you been talking to her?”

 

“Well….I never really stopped.  Remember we started to Skype at the last half of series seven.  I wasn’t as busy since Kaz and Arthur weren’t around so it was a nice distraction.  I considered stopping after….. well…..after we talked”  He was waving his hand back and forth between them.  “But I always looked so forward to our talks that I couldn’t bear to end them.  I just had to make one rule – we could never talk about you.”

 

Her legs seemed to having trouble holding her up and she came to sit back down on the hearth next to him.  “So all this time, these past five years you were still my daughters friend?  Even though I ……even thought I….”

 

“Even though you broke my heart.”  He finished for her.  “Yes, Alex even though.” She burst into tears.  He instantly pulled her to him soothing her.  He never could resist her when she cried.

 

It was several minutes before she got her composure pulling back from him but staying close enough that his arms were still around her.  “I’m sorry.” 

 

“It’s ok Alex, it’s not like I haven’t seen you cry before.”

 

She shakes her head.  “No, that’s not what I meant.  I mean I am sorry for hurting you.  I am sorry for turning you down.  I am sorry for not believing in you.  I am so, so sorry that I was such a coward to not believe you when you said you loved me, really loved me.  I didn’t think it was possible.  I thought for sure you would leave as the others did.  Can you ever forgive me?”

 

He is frozen in place, not sure what to do next?   He feels the weight of the next words heavily on his shoulders.  The next few minutes could decide the course of his life – possibly make his life.  He considers carefully before answering.

 

“Always and completely.”  She leans into him kissing him soundly on the lips.  It is her this time who deepens the kiss pressing herself tightly to him.

 

Pulling back, he looks down at her.  “What does all this mean Alex?”  Her lips are swollen and he can’t stop his fingers from tracing them.

 

“It means that I have been an idiot.  I pushed you away when that was the last thing I wanted to do.  You still love me.”  He grins nodding his head.  “And I still love you.”  His breath hitches.  Wait….what did she just say?

 

“You….you love me?”  He looks so adorable with the wide-eyed wonder he would often show as the Doctor.

 

“Yes”

 

“Since when?”

 

“Since…..always.”  She rubs her nose with his.  “I think I was a goner from the moment you touched my hand in the read through all those years ago.  There was always something about you…and I.  I wasn’t really surprised when you confessed your feelings.  I just thought it would be wrong to admit mine and act on them.  I believed…..I truly believed that loving me would hurt you and that was the last thing I wanted to do.”

 

“But you hurt me anyways by pushing me away.”  A small trickle slides down her cheek as she hides from him by watching the fire.

 

“Yes, I did.  I am sor-……”  He cut her words off with a kiss.

 

“Enough sorries.  How about we get out of here and do some holiday stuff?”

 

She took the hint, enough serious talk for one day.  “Sure darling.  Where to?”  She moved to the table drinking the remains of her not so hot anymore chocolate before putting on her coat.

 

“Harrods!”  When she looked at him with a puzzled look he continued.  “I still need to get my Christmas shopping done.”

 

She laughed at him.  “And you thought I would be of any help?”  It was well known in their group that shopping was not Alex’s thing.

 

“Well, yes.  I value your opinion greatly and now it seems I have another gift to add to the list.”  She again looks at him not understanding.  He just shakes his head.  “Come on Kingston.  You can be so thick sometimes.”

 

They walk outside from the tea room to the glorious flurries of snow.  He stops raising his head to the sky sticking out his tongue to catch a few flakes.  She giggles beside him.  “What?”  He looks at her.

 

“Oh nothing darling.  Just watching you transform into a five year old is quite amusing.”

 

“What do you mean?  You don’t do this?”

 

“What stick my tongue out in public?  Not can’t say I do.”

 

“No, you don’t taste the beginning of Christmas?”

 

“The beginning of Christmas??”

 

“Yes, when the first snow falls after the holidays begin you can taste it.  It’s like magic.  Come on you try?”  He reaches out for her hand.

 

She feels foolish but decides to indulge him anyways.  Raising her chin she allows her tongue to catch a few of the snowflakes.  Surprisingly they seem warm, and happy, and content.  She looks over to him realizing there is so much about this man she still does not know and that she hopes that this time she won’t be too scared to find out.

 

Entering Harrods is like entering into another world.  It is vast and at this time of year teaming with excitement.  They ventured from department to department with her helping him choose a few gifts for his family and friends. 

 

She knew she was in trouble when they got to the floor dedicated to Christmas.  As they arrived off the escalator the 16 foot Christmas tree loomed in front of them.  They had to stop and stare.  It was a thing of beauty.  The colorful lights twinkled occasionally morphing into a pattern that seemed to zip around the tree.  The theme this year was decidedly British.  There were ornaments of double-decker buses, Beefeaters, crowns and so much more.  When he spotted it he pulled her along to point it out.  “Look Kingston, they even have a TARDIS on there.”  There was indeed a TARDIS ornament near the top of the tree on the side.  She looked closer and brought her hands to her face to stifle a grin.

 

“That’s not all darling.  Look closer.”  He wasn’t sure what she meant until he looked where she was pointing.  They didn’t just have the TARDIS on there; they had a Dalek, a Cyberman, and a figure of each of the Doctors.  His Doctor was hanging one tree limb away from River Song who was brandishing a blaster.

 

“Oh wow Alex….just wow!”  He seemed decidedly humbled to be on a tree at Harrods. 

 

“Yeah, not where you thought you’d end up when you said yes to being the Doctor is it?”  She chides him.

 

Pulling her closer and looking down at her with such love, “There’s a lot I didn’t think I’d end up with when I said yes to being the Doctor.”  He leans in giving her a sweet kiss.  They pull back staring at the Christmas tree a bit longer.  “You know I think that angel on top looks a lot like Salome.”

 

She looks up and sees what looks to be a replica of her daughter at the very top of the tree.  “Ok, this is getting too weird.  First we’re on the tree, now Salome.  If I see Steven Moffat somewhere I am going to completely lose it.” 

 

He starts laughing and can’t really stop.  Finally folding his legs under him, he sits on the floor of Harrods until he can get himself under control.  She looks at him as if he has really truly lost it.  “Oh come on.  That was hysterical.”

 

“If you say so darling.”  She reaches down to get him off his feet.

 

“I do!”  He takes her hand but pulls her down to him instead tickling her until her yelps get too loud.  “Quiet Kingston, their going to call security.”

 

“Make me!”  She teases.

 

“I believe I will.”  He slots his lips over hers, his hands fondling her curls as she takes his breath away.  Gasping for air, they pull back from one another.

 

“Ok you, I think we better get going before we make the front page of the Sun.”

 

He laughs getting to his feet before pulling her to hers.  They take one last look at the Christmas tree before he tugs her towards the Christmas grotto.  “Wait!  Why are we going in there?  That’s just for the kids.”

 

“Well, I’m just a kid!”  She looks at him warily.  “Isn’t that what you’re always telling me?”

 

“Matt?  Really why are we here?”

 

“Cause I want us to get our picture taken with Father Christmas.”

 

“What?  No, no, no were not!”

 

“Why not Alex?  And you can’t use the ‘I’m too old’ line.”  She opens her mouth to say something but can’t come up with an excuse since he took her ole stand-by away.  “Exactly!  You don’t have a good reason therefore we have to do it!”  He sounds so triumphant. 

 

Thankfully the line isn’t too long.  It is afterall a school day so most of the line is mums with tiny tots and them.  Alex feels rather embarrassed she hasn’t been in a line for Santa since Salome was little.  Matt however is beyond ecstatic rocking back and forth on his heels waiting for their turn.  A couple of the mums seem to recognize them but no one says anything.

 

Finally it is their turn.  He practically bounces up the stairs to the throne that Father Christmas sits upon.  Matt sits on his left with Alex on his right.  She tries to hide her delight at being a kid again but he notices straight away.  After they smile for the camera, Santa asks them what they want for Christmas.  Looking at Alex he says “That today never ends.”  She blushes.

 

“And what about you little lady?”  Santa asks her.

 

“Well I think I would rather tell you privately.”  Matt takes the hint and leaves her to it.  He looks back as she is whispering something into Santa’s ear.  He nods and she walks over to where Matt is looking at their picture on the computer screen.

 

The picture is amazing.  They both look incredibly happy.  She can’t remember when she looked that happy or felt this happy.  He notices it too.  “We look happy.”  He says with a touch of sadness in his voice.

 

“Well it must be Father Christmas.  It couldn’t be for any other reason.”  She teases him.

 

“Oh really?  Father Christmas, eh?”

 

“Yeah, I always did like red on a man.”  She flirts.  Oh how he has missed the flirting.

 

“Is that so?  Well, I know where we need to go next?”

 

“Where’s that?”

 

“Men’s department!  I need a little more red!”  She laughs at him.  They choose one of the picture packages.  He insisted on getting the one that included the picture sent to his phone.  He had one sent to hers as well.  The photos won’t be ready for an hour so that gives them time for more shopping.

 

After Matt picks up some red socks, some with Santa’s and some reindeer, a red bow tie (What?  Bow ties are still cool!), and red braces she finally manages to get him out of the men’s department.

 

As their walking he spies a mannequin up ahead wearing a red velvet dress.  Its neckline is low and its hem is longer in the back than the front.  He thinks it would be perfect for her.  He just needs to figure out what size she wears.   Steering her into the women’s department but away from the dress he gets her to start looking at dresses.  He notes carefully what sizes she looks at without saying a word.  She chooses a few to try on heading to the dressing room.  “Need some help trying those on Kingston?”  He asks his eyebrows waggling in her direction.

 

“Sorry darling, I think that might get us tossed out for sure.”

 

“Spoiled sport!”

 

As soon as she heads into the dressing room he makes for the area with the red velvet dress.  He is able to locate a salesclerk, get it ordered with his address for delivery, and get back to the same place she left him before she finishes.  He however is having a hard time containing his excitement.

 

“Why are you so jumpy?”  She asks when she comes out of the dressing room.

 

A blush takes over his face, “Oh just picturing you in there half naked.”

 

Now a blush takes over her face.  “Oh you!”  She swats him in the chest before reaching up on her tiptoes to give him a kiss.

 

They head back over to pick up their photos.  Matt notices that the little kids leaving Santa have candy canes.  “Hey why didn’t we get candy canes?”  He asks.  The young clerk rolls her eyes at him and retrieves two candy canes for them.  He hands one to Alex, placing his in his jacket pocket.

 

As they are exiting Harrods he says to her, “I’m famished.  Would you like to have dinner with me Alex?”  She notices he called her Alex, not Kingston.  This isn’t just dinner as friends, _this is dinner._

 

She barely hesitates before saying, “Yes!”  They decide on a place on the other side of London so he hails a cab.  As they are sitting in the cab she pulls out her candy cane.  She unwraps it with reverence before wrapping her mouth around it. 

 

He watches her intently as she licks the cane back and forth tugging it in and out of her mouth.  ‘Oh god, is she trying to kill me?’

 

She catches him looking at her.  “Aren’t you going to have yours darling?”

 

“I’m..I’m saving it for later.”  He chokes out.

 

Thankfully he is saved by their arrival at the restaurant and she pops the candy back into the wrapper placing it in his purse.  ‘Is it wrong that he is jealous of a piece of candy?’

 

It is a lovely restaurant, not too upscale. They are shown to a table near the back.  When the waiter comes he asks for a bottle of champagne, requesting a very specific brand and year.  “Champagne darling, isn’t that a bit extravagant?”

 

“Nothing is too extravagant for you Alex.”  She notes him calling her by her first name again. This may end up being the most significant meal she’s ever had and she is more than nervous that she is going to bugger it up…………….again.

 

When the champagne is poured he raises his glass to her.  “To the most beautiful woman I have ever laid eyes on.  My Christmas wish is that she lets me see her beautiful self every day for the rest of my life.”  She feels the tears prick at her eyes, waving her hand in front of her face before settling on her mouth trying to get her emotions under control. 

 

Gently wiping the tears from her cheeks she looks at him with all the love she has been feeling today.  “I think I would like that….. very much.”  She blushes, he smiles and they clink their glasses their eyes never leaving each other.

 

They talk throughout the evening.  He tells her all about the roles he’s played, the places he’s been, and the friends he’s made along the way.   She tells him the same plus includes stories about Salome that Salome wouldn’t have told him. 

 

It seems so easy to fall back into their rhythms.  It’s hard to believe they ever fell out of them.  Maybe it’s why she has felt so out of sorts with the rest of the world these past five years.  She has missed him, missed him terribly.  But here he was giving her another chance, giving them another chance and all the reasons she thought to say no five years ago don’t seem important anymore.  She loves him and he loves her and nothing else matters….none of it.

 

The champagne bottle upturned, their dessert gone, they continue to linger over the table not wanting it to end.  She gets an idea.  “Darling would you be up for one more adventure tonight?”

 

“With you?  Of course!”  His smile would brighten the darkest of places.

 

“Ok, well let’s pay the bill.  I have something in mind I think you’ll like.”  He quickly takes care of the tab, helps her with her coat, then picks up their purchases before they head outside.  The snow hasn’t stopped all afternoon and there is a nice coating on everything.  Everything feels fresh and new…..a new beginning.

 

Walking down the street she finds what she is looking for pulling him along.  She stops in front of a horse-drawn carriage.  “A carriage ride Alex?  How is that an adventure?”  He mocks her.

 

“Well it is a carriage ride with me!”  She raises her eyebrows at him causing him to nearly choke.

 

They settle into the carriage pulling the warm blankets around them both as they snuggle closer to each other.  It’s so different seeing the city like this.  Being in a horse-drawn carriage feels like they are in a different time, the city is still with it’s blanket of snow covering it, and the only sound they hear is the beating of each other’s heart.

 

After taking in the sights of the lights and the twinkling Christmas trees they see along the way she turns to him.  “Matt?”  He turns to look at her as her hands slide into his.  “Matt this has been the most incredible day.  I don’t want it to end.”

 

“It doesn’t have to Alex.”  His voice is rough and hoarse.  “I meant what I told Father Christmas.  I want this day to last forever.”  He kisses her with the passion of years of want, of love, of knowing she is the most perfect woman in the world for him.

 

‘Could he not be more perfect?  How did she push him away?  Whatever was she thinking?’  She returns his kiss with the joy of knowing she has found the man who makes her complete, and she hopes to never let him go again.

 

Breathing hard, they part lips resting their heads together, the coldness of their noses keeping each others warm.  “Alex I know this is going to sound a little crazy but please promise you’ll think about it before you answer.”  She nods.  He kisses her hand through her mittens looking up at her through that adorable fringe falling across his forehead.

 

“Alex would you do me the honor of marrying me?”

 

Without barely a second passing she answers him, “Yes!”

 

 

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**Author's Note:**

> I have been enjoying all of the Christmas fics thinking I didn’t really have the time to participate. What with real life and the big fic I am already working on with a Christmas Day deadline it didn’t seem possible but I woke up this morning with this in my head. So here we are 6 hours later……I hope you liked it.


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